Sheet Bend

How to tie a sheet bend.
Celtic knots are called 'knots' and so you might think they are connected to real knots. However, Celtic knots seem to prefer regular under-and-over patterns, while this is surprisingly rare in real knots. Here are my own patterns based on shhet bends:

This is based on a number of sheet bends. Since one string has to be looped back in a sheet bend, this means that this pattern has loops rather than complete strings, so you could never tie this.

Here is a sheet of sheet bends! The strings weave back and forth in columns, so this can be tied, although it might be tricky! It doesn't have a very neat edge.

How to tie a sheet bend

This is the knot for joing two pieces of string, as it doesn't shake loose easily. If you have different sizes of string, make the first loop in the thicker string.


Make a loop with one string.	Pass the other string through the loop from underneath.	Take this second string round the back of the loop. Pass under the loose end of the loop string first.	Tuck the second string underneath itself, where it came out of the loop. Keep it above the loop.

The knot should have both loose ends on the same side. Keep the loop still, and tie the other string round it. Don't tighten the knot until it is finished, and keep the crossed loop of the second string from slipping off the first loop. To untie it, loosen the knot a little, slip the second loop off the first, pull out the first string and you will be left with a slip knot in the second, which you can easily pull out.

The loop may be thicker string than the other, or they can be equal thickness. There is further information about sheet bends, together with an excellent animation, from Animated knots for Scouts and Guides.

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